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A region surrounding a planet which contains ionized particles. The magnetosphere is produced by the planet's internal
magnetic field, and interacts with the solar wind. The shape of a planetary magnetic field is that of a dipole with an
approaching infinitely conducting plate. In reality, it is distorted since the solar wind actually forms a curved
magnetosheath.
Stern, D. and Peredo, M. "The Magnetosphere." http://www-spof.gsfc.nasa.gov/Education/wms1.html.
Van Allen, J. A. "Magnetospheres, Cosmic Rays, and the Interplanetary Medium." Ch. 3 in The New Solar System, 3rd ed.
(Ed. J. K. Beatty and A. Chaikin). Cambridge, England: Cambridge University Press, pp. 34-40, 1990.
© 1996-2007 Eric W. Weisstein
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